Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is finally answering questions regarding the attack on the Benghazi consulate last year, and though her testimony may not satisfy her strictest opponents, it does finally shed some light on one of our country’s most recent international controversies.

Particularly of note was the beginning of her testimony, during which Clinton grew emotional and held back tears when talking about the US personnel that were killed in the Benghazi attack.

“For me, this is not just a matter of policy, it’s personal. I stood next to President Obama as the Marines carried those flag-draped caskets off the plane at Andrews,” Clinton said, her voice unsteady. “I put my arms around the mothers and fathers, the sisters and brothers, the sons and daughters, and the wives left alone to raise their children.”

Clinton went on to say that serving the State Department and USAID has been one of the “greatest honors” of her life, giving credit to the 70,000 individuals serving domestically and at 275 posts around the world.

“They get up and go to work every day — often in difficult and dangerous circumstances thousands of miles from home — because they believe, as we believe, the United States is the most extraordinary force for peace and progress the earth has ever known.”

The testimony is ongoing, so we can’t yet say whether or not Clinton’s responses will silence her critics, but it seems as though the tragic loss of American life in Libya has affected the secretary deeply.